College Discussion - View Single Post

kelsmom · 04-19-2008, 08:59 PM

Dad II, I would definitely caution not to base college applications on the fact that some schools have a higher admit rate for boys than for girls. IF your S likes two schools equally & one has a higher boy admit rate, then it might make sense to carefully consider the one with the higher boy admit rate. But simply to focus on schools with higher boy admit rates is not a good idea.

As others have stated, it is a good idea to have your son make a list of what he wants in a school. Then you can help him find schools of each type (LAC, small uni, large uni, masters college, etc) that have the qualities he wants. Narrow your search by doing research online & by reading the info the schools send to your home. Visit some schools of each type, if possible. Apply to a variety of schools that he thinks he might like to attend.

My D KNEW she didn't want a large university. She was the only one in her group of friends who did not apply to UMich. Instead, she focused on LACs of all sizes and small universities. She applied to a variety of LACs (1000 students to 2800 students) and small universities (up to 6800 students). In the end, she chose a larger LAC.

Early in her freshman year, my D changed her mind about what she wanted to do academically. While her school has wonderful profs & opportunities in her chosen major, the courses were not especially interesting to her. She found another school that had courses that were exactly what she wanted, and she applied for a transfer. I think this could have happened to her at any school, large or small. Because she was pretty specific in her interests, even a large university may not have offered what she really wanted.

My S is the same age as your S. He knows for a fact that he does not want a small LAC. He wants a small to medium sized university. Because music is a very important hobby for him, he will be looking for a school where he can indulge his particular musical interests. As a snowboarder, he will look for schools with opportunities for snowboarding ... but that will not be a deciding factor. He won't need to be near a mall (one of his sister's "must haves")! His likes/dislikes are his own, and only he can decide what fits him. Make sure you talk with your son and help him find a place that will allow him to be happy and to grow academically.

04-19-2008, 08:59 PM	#49
kelsmom Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Threads: 27 Posts: 2,124	Dad II, I would definitely caution not to base college applications on the fact that some schools have a higher admit rate for boys than for girls. IF your S likes two schools equally & one has a higher boy admit rate, then it might make sense to carefully consider the one with the higher boy admit rate. But simply to focus on schools with higher boy admit rates is not a good idea. As others have stated, it is a good idea to have your son make a list of what he wants in a school. Then you can help him find schools of each type (LAC, small uni, large uni, masters college, etc) that have the qualities he wants. Narrow your search by doing research online & by reading the info the schools send to your home. Visit some schools of each type, if possible. Apply to a variety of schools that he thinks he might like to attend. My D KNEW she didn't want a large university. She was the only one in her group of friends who did not apply to UMich. Instead, she focused on LACs of all sizes and small universities. She applied to a variety of LACs (1000 students to 2800 students) and small universities (up to 6800 students). In the end, she chose a larger LAC. Early in her freshman year, my D changed her mind about what she wanted to do academically. While her school has wonderful profs & opportunities in her chosen major, the courses were not especially interesting to her. She found another school that had courses that were exactly what she wanted, and she applied for a transfer. I think this could have happened to her at any school, large or small. Because she was pretty specific in her interests, even a large university may not have offered what she really wanted. My S is the same age as your S. He knows for a fact that he does not want a small LAC. He wants a small to medium sized university. Because music is a very important hobby for him, he will be looking for a school where he can indulge his particular musical interests. As a snowboarder, he will look for schools with opportunities for snowboarding ... but that will not be a deciding factor. He won't need to be near a mall (one of his sister's "must haves")! His likes/dislikes are his own, and only he can decide what fits him. Make sure you talk with your son and help him find a place that will allow him to be happy and to grow academically.